


Rumination

by WithCadence



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: (do i really need to tag that?), Cannibalism, Ficlet, M/M, Murder Husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 03:01:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1672229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WithCadence/pseuds/WithCadence
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will had to choose - Jack or Hannibal - and he did. He dines with the victor and ponders his decision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rumination

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very, very short little ficlet that I wrote in response to a request on my writing blog. I didn't intend to post it here because it's so short, but hey, why not?

“It was never a choice.” Will’s fingers drummed against the side of his glass, tiny vibrations broke across the surface of the wine. “It’s more of a competition.” His words came slow, chosen deliberately. “May the best man win.” He stared at his knuckles, did not look up.

Silverware clinking against china. “Less of a competition than a cockfight, I would say.” A pause. A glass being set down lightly. Will still did not look up. “You trained us both then pitted us against each other. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed.” 

Will nodded. Brought the glass to his lips, took a minuscule sip. “I wanted to see what would happen.” The words were dry, but for the first time, they felt like his own. He did not know what he felt towards the man across the table. But he knew he felt it strongly, with a tangible intensity, and he clung to it with every tendril of his remaining sanity. Allowed it to fill him up and pour out of him. 

“Still,” the man sighed. “You imply there was of a lack of choice on your part. Every cockfight requires a bet. I trust you made the right one.”

Will looked up. Brown eyes locked on brown. He spoke through a locked jaw. “I think I did.” The corner of the man’s lip twitched upward. Will finished his wine in one large gulp. “But I’m not quite sure how I feel about it, yet.” 

The man stood up and snatched the wine bottle from the center of the table in one elegant sweeping motion. He moved silently towards Will, positioned himself behind him, let his fingertips rest lightly on the back of Will’s neck as he leaned over the wine glass, poured slowly. Will welcomed the contact, a familiar tingle spread atop his shoulders.

“Hopefully you don’t feel too badly.” Low, and smooth, pouring into his ear like the wine. Will hoped the man did not notice his microscopic movement, how he leaned into the touch.

“Bad isn’t the word I’d use.” 

The man pressed the pads of his fingers more firmly into Will’s collar, a gentle reaffirming squeeze. “I’m just happy we can finally, truly see each other.” 

Will nodded in agreement, poked at what remained of his meal with his fork. Stabbed a piece of meat. Brought it slowly to his mouth, let it brush against his lips, pulled it off the prongs lightly with his teeth, ran his tongue over it before biting down. It was much more tender than expected. The taste lingered on the back of his tongue momentarily after he swallowed, so he washed it away with another large gulp of red wine. 

He always knew it would be Hannibal. Some part of him was aware of the endgame from the moment he shot Garret Jacob Hobbs. That part of him lurked, dormant and hungry, starved by the blandness of morality. But Hannibal found it. He found it and fed and nurtured it. He let it grow and claw at Will’s insides until it was strong enough to consume him, to swallow him whole while who he used to be sat and watched.

Will knew what would happen when he sent Jack to Hannibal. He had always known. But he hadn’t expected the swiftness of the outcome. He hadn’t expected Jack to fall so easily.

Will picked the last piece of meat from his plate with his hand, sucked it off his fingertips. He hadn’t expected Jack to be so tender. So delicious.


End file.
